In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Caribbean Reef Shark in 6 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Caribbean Reef Shark.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Caribbean Reef Shark - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: First, draw an open egg-shape for the shark's head.
Step 2: Next make a medium sized circle for the eye. Fill the eye in almost completely. Copy the lines of the face as you see them in the picture.
Step 3: Then, draw a simple arch for the back of your shark.
Step 4: Create the fin closest to you by drawing a line that stretches from the middle of the shark into a fine point. Make the second fin by drawing it with the point down connected to the head of your shark. Draw a line for the belly that connects to this second fin.
Step 5: Draw the top fin by making a simple triangle on the middle of the shark's back.
Step 6: The last step in creating a Caribbean reef shark is to draw the tail. Draw two short lines coming from the back of the shark's body. To these lines, attach a boomerang-shape to finish up the tail.
Interesting Facts about the Caribbean Reef Shark
The Caribbean reef shark is a reef dwelling shark found in the western Atlantic Ocean, throughout the Caribbean, and south to Brazil. They eat reef fish, rays, and crustaceans. They can group up to 10 meters long and weigh up to 70 kilograms. The Caribbean reef shark is white to pale yellow on the ventral/bottom side and grey on the dorsal/top side.
Did you know?
- Sharks are fish.
- This shark breed is fished for meat and liver oil.
- The Caribbean reef shark is a passive shark. They tend to avoid human contact. They may become aggressive in the presence of food though.
- Their skeleton is made of cartilage instead of bones.
- Caribbean reef sharks rest by lying motionless on the sea bottom.
- Baby Caribbean reef sharks (pups) develop inside their mother. It takes about one year for the mother to give birth, and the litter size is usually four to six pups.
Lesson plan note: Visit your local aquarium to see the Caribbean reef shark swimming. Notice how it moves and acts. Alternatively, if you do not have access to a local aquarium, then each child can draw a coral reef scene and include a Caribbean reef shark swimming through the reef.
How to Draw a Caribbean Reef Shark – Step-by-Step Tutorial